If you close your eyes and think back to 2007, you probably remember a tiny girl with massive curls standing next to a mountain of a man. That was Madison Pettis in The Game Plan. She was eight years old. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was... well, he was The Rock. It was a classic Disney setup: the bachelor superstar quarterback gets "sacked" by the daughter he never knew he had.
Honestly, it’s one of those movies that shouldn’t have worked as well as it did. But it stayed in our heads. Why? Because the chemistry between a 260-pound wrestler and a kid who barely reached his waist felt real.
But there’s a lot about that era—and Madison’s role as Peyton Kelly—that people actually misremember. Or they just don't know the weird behind-the-scenes stuff that happened on that set in Boston.
What Really Happened on the Set of The Game Plan?
Most people think child stars have it easy, just showing up and being cute. Madison Pettis wasn't just "showing up." This was actually the very first movie she ever auditioned for. Think about that. Most actors spend years in the trenches of commercials and "unnamed extra" roles. She walked into her first big-screen audition and landed a lead opposite the biggest action star on the planet.
The filming wasn't all glitter and tutus, though.
Remember the scene where Peyton eats pumpkin pie? In the movie, she’s supposed to be loving it. In real life? Madison has a ton of food allergies. The props department had to scramble to make a "safe" pie. They ended up using a vegan pumpkin pie with soy whipped cream.
It was gross.
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Madison later described it as tasting like "watery Play-Doh." They had to film that specific scene about 35 times. Imagine being eight years old and having to smile while shoving 35 bites of wet clay into your mouth. That’s the "game plan" nobody sees.
The Relationship with Dwayne Johnson
People always ask if The Rock is actually nice. According to Madison, he basically acted like her second dad. He’d leave Dunkin' Donuts in her trailer with notes that said, "Let’s have an awesome day, honey!"
They bonded over Elvis. Dwayne is a huge Elvis fan (which is why his character, Joe Kingman, is obsessed with him in the movie), and he’d sing to her between takes. He even sang a Hawaiian version of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to her. Her response? She told him he sounded like a "wounded moose."
That’s the kind of bluntness you can’t fake. It's why their on-screen dynamic worked. She wasn't intimidated by him.
The Secret "Peyton Kelly" Backstory You Missed
If you watch The Game Plan now, there’s a plot point that feels a bit... dark for a Disney movie. Peyton's mother, Sara, had passed away in a car accident six months before the movie starts.
The movie focuses on the comedy of Joe Kingman trying to use a bedazzled football, but the underlying "game plan" was actually about a grieving kid looking for the only family she had left. Peyton didn't just "show up" because she wanted to go to ballet camp. She was a runaway.
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She lied to her Aunt Karen, hopped on a plane, and manipulated her way into a high-security Boston penthouse. She was basically a pint-sized secret agent.
The Ballet vs. Football Debate
One of the best parts of the movie is the "Enchanted Tree" sequence. Director Andy Fickman was really adamant that the film shouldn't make fun of ballet. He wanted it to be seen as just as difficult as pro football.
Dwayne Johnson actually agreed. After filming the ballet scenes, he admitted he "no longer had a man card" but gained massive respect for the discipline. Madison had already been dancing for five years by the time they started filming, so she was actually the veteran on set during those scenes.
Why Madison Pettis Still Matters in 2026
It’s been nearly two decades since the movie came out. A lot of child stars from that era disappeared. Madison didn’t.
She transitioned from "the girl from The Game Plan" to a voice actress in The Lion Guard, a lead in Five Points, and more recently, the "mean girl" archetype in He's All That. She’s managed to avoid the typical "Disney star meltdown" that we’ve seen so many times.
In 2025 and 2026, she’s been making waves with projects like The Wrong Paris. It's a weird full-circle moment for fans who grew up watching her. She's 27 now. Feeling old yet?
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Key Takeaways from The Game Plan Era:
- First-Time Luck: It was her first-ever film audition.
- Dwayne’s "Man Card": The Rock actually learned ballet moves and took it seriously.
- The Allergy Struggle: That "delicious" pie was actually a vegan nightmare.
- The Soundtrack: The Elvis obsession was fueled by Dwayne’s real-life love for the King.
How to Revisit the Movie Today
If you’re planning a rewatch, keep an eye out for the ESPN cameos. They got real sportscasters like Stuart Scott and Boomer Esiason to play themselves. It adds a weird layer of "realness" to a movie where a guy wears green tights and pretends to be a tree.
Actionable Steps for Fans:
- Check Disney+: The Game Plan is almost always streaming there.
- Watch the Bloopers: The DVD extras (if you can find them) show the "wounded moose" singing sessions.
- Follow the Career: If you want to see her modern work, Five Points is where she shows the most dramatic range.
- Look for "The Wrong Paris": Her latest 2025/2026 project shows how much she’s pivoted away from the Disney image.
The "game plan" for Madison Pettis was never just about one movie. It was about using that massive platform to build a long-term career. She stayed grounded, kept working, and somehow survived being Dwayne Johnson's "mini-me."
Whether you love the movie for the football or the tutu-wearing bulldogs, it remains a staple of 2000s nostalgia for a reason. It had heart. And vegan pie. Mostly heart, though.
Next Steps for Your Rewatch:
Pay close attention to the scene in the restaurant where Joe forgets Peyton. It was filmed in a real Boston location, and the "allergic reaction" scene later on was actually handled with a lot of medical consultation to make sure it looked somewhat realistic for a family comedy. You can also track her growth by watching Cory in the House immediately after—she filmed them around the same time, playing two very different "daughters of powerful men."